Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Sonny Sharrock: Ask the Ages

7

Sonny Sharrock: Ask the Ages

By

Sign in to view read count
Sonny Sharrock: Ask the Ages
Guitarist Sonny Sharrock had been recording since 1969, in a variety of formats. In 1991, he recorded his masterpiece, Ask the Ages for Axiom records. The recording was produced by Sharrock and MOD Technologies founder and bassist Bill Laswell. Axiom Records was a precursor to Laswell's MOD Technologies. It is fitting that Laswell resurrect Sharrock's magnum opus recorded the year before the guitarist's death.

Much has been made of Sharrock making music with former John Coltrane sidemen Pharoah Sanders and Elvin Jones with an emphasis on what is considered Contrane's indelible stamp on the improvisation method of Sharrock. That is all well and good, but fresh ears makes me think of Ornette Coleman and his seminal 1950s and '60s pioneering work in free jazz. I never hear Sharrock seek communion with the gods as we did with Coltrane during his late period. True enough that the fire of drummer Jones is present as well as freedom stalwart Sanders. But Sharrock manages to remain between the stylistic ditches, turning out a fresh performance that is as exhilarating as it is confounding.

The other place where Sharrock resembles Coleman more than Coltrane is in his use of the blues. Sharrock's approach is much more organic than that of Coltrane. He is a slashing and burning guitarist intent on laying waste to all ahead of him. Sharrock's controlled fury is first detected on "As We Used to Sing" in the shred-opening of his solo after the head. He parlays this into a figure opening "Little Rock," one that resembles the Allman Brothers Band's "Hot "Lanta." Sharrock's leadership bleeds into his sidemen, placing a loose governor on Jones and Sanders, directing them to find their freedom within the confines of Sharrock's fractured harmonic vision.

Ask the Ages is a late free jazz recording for those who do not care for free jazz. This music is primal, if anything from the 1990s can be labels so. Sharrock effectively rips the guts from this music, finding the truth as if divining inspiration from the sizzling entrails of some sacrificed beast. This dovetails perfectly into the music Laswell has made and released on MOD Technologies. As the Ages? This is music for the ages.

Track Listing

Promises Kept; Who Does She Hope to Be?; Little Rock; As we Used to Sing; Many Mansions; Once Upon a Time.

Personnel

Sonny Sharrock
guitar, electric

Sonny Sharrock: electric guitar; Pharaoh Sanders: tenor and soprano saxophones; Charnett Moffett: bass; Elvin Jones: drums.

Album information

Title: Ask the Ages | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: M.o.d. Technologies

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.